Health and Safety Solutions from Meech International

05.04.07

In a factory environment a machinery operator may receive a shock directly from the product they are working with or become charged through induction. Induction occurs when they are standing in the electric field of a charged object, such as operators in a factory adjacent to a plastic web during the unwinding and rewinding process. The charge builds up until the operator touches an earthed part of the machine and then discharges, resulting in shock. The shock itself is unlikely to cause any serious harm, but if it is strong enough to cause a recoil reaction, then accidents may occur as the operator collides with a colleague, with a machine frame or stumbles into the path of moving machinery, resulting in injury.

Meech supplies a comprehensive range of static control equipment that provides effective ionising solutions for the prevention of shocks. Meech’s ionising blowers are widely used throughout the plastics industry for this purpose. Including benchtop, worksurface and overhead versions, Meech blowers are all specified for a high level of performance and functionality, securing the workforce a comfortable and static-free environment.

Meech has two specific solutions for static control in classified hazardous environments. The Model 915Ex AC system provides the same exceptional level of performance long associated with the 915AC bar, while the unique Model 976Ex Pulsed DC Bar provides highly effective log range ionisation up to distances of 600mm. Certified by both Baseefa for use in Europe and UL in the USA, Meech is the only company that has both long range approved Ex ionisers which do not require airflow.

“Meech has been involved in providing static control solutions for over 40 years.” explains Meech’s in-house Health and Safety expert. “Originally, our main focus was to improve productivity and profitability in industry by reducing static charge build up on processed materials. This resulted in less waste, rejects and downtime and the control of static was very much seen as a quality problem. This quality issue is still a major focus but we are now seeing health and safety concerns being discussed more openly. We have been working closely with companies and their Health and Safety departments to help reduce the hazard risk from static discharges and prevent operators from suffering static-related shocks.”

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